Design Notes: Partnerships help fulfill role of master builder

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Let's go back in time a few years. Back before Al Gore invented the Internet. Before the Apple II computer. Before television, radio, and even before mail. |ret||ret||tab|

Let's talk about a time when the length of construction projects was not measured in terms of years, months or days, but decades and lifetimes.|ret||ret||tab|

Back in the Middle Ages, when a significant project needed to be built, it was usually a cathedral. |ret||ret||tab|

All the resources of the church and the community were committed to the project, and they would commission an architect who was to be their "master builder." |ret||ret||tab|

Now, back then, architects were not as plentiful as they are now. |ret||ret||tab|

Often communities would look around and find an apprentice architect from a nearby cathedral project and commission him to build it.|ret||ret||tab|

Realize that back then, a cathedral could take a lifetime to build. The architect who started the project might actually die during the project and his apprentice might finish it. |ret||ret||tab|

Health care wasn't what it is today and if the plague or some other disease didn't kill you by the age of 40, some war or disagreement with a supplier might. |ret||ret||tab|

All kidding aside, the point here is that in these simpler times, the construction processes were much slower, methods were much simpler, materials were much more difficult to work and the projects just took a long time to build.|ret||ret||tab|

The architect was the master builder and he directed the construction on the job on a daily basis. |ret||ret||tab|

From the project inception to the completion, the master builder would control the design and construction. |ret||ret||tab|

He lived on the site and was there to direct the work and to complete the project as it was intended to be completed. He could resolve problems on the site while keeping the design intent in mind. This provided great quality control and, if you have been to Europe and seen the great cathedrals, they resulted in some magnificent structures that have stood the test of time.|ret||ret||tab|

Fast forward to today. |ret||ret||tab|

Clients have a complex process to go through to get their projects designed and built. |ret||ret||tab|

Architects have been forced to give up the day-to-day control of the construction process and become the designers and administrators of projects. |ret||ret||tab|

General contractors have forfeited their role as the builder with the creation of the specialty subcontractor. The general contractor is now a broker of construction services. The subcontractors all specialize in their particular specialty or trade with little ability to work outside their area of expertise. |ret||ret||tab|

Everyone is working to minimize their risk of litigation and maximize their profits, and project management is almost as complex as the design process. |ret||ret||tab|

Somewhere in the process, the project and the client's needs get addressed, but the level of care has suffered.|ret||ret||tab|

In a good project today, you get a talented and capable architect, a competent, conscientious general contractor and great subcontractors and suppliers. |ret||ret||tab|

Everyone does their job well and on time. The project gets built within the budget and the project is beautiful. |ret||ret||tab|

In a bad project, the attorneys get rich.|ret||ret||tab|

Understand that in the normal design-bid-build process (which most public bodies must use), the architect designs the project, puts the project plans out to competitive bid, numerous general contractors bid on the project, and the general contractor who has the lowest bid makes the biggest mistake in his bid gets to build it. |ret||ret||tab|

That process immediately creates an adversarial situation as the general contractor is committed to a lump sum amount to build the project and he will spend the rest of the time making sure that he only provides what is shown on the plans. |ret||ret||tab|

If something is needed that isn't clearly shown on the plans, it becomes a "profit opportunity" a change order. |ret||ret||tab|

The architect is hired by the owner and spends all his time protecting the quality of his plans and trying to get the owner's project built as intended. |ret||ret||tab|

In the design-build process, the general contractor offers a package to the owner which includes the design services. However, this places the architect in a subservient contractual role to the general contractor, and the architect cannot really represent the owner's interests independently. |ret||ret||tab|

The general contractor is usually committed to providing a project for a set fee and will be doing just that. |ret||ret||tab|

The owner has no one with specialized expertise in the construction process looking after his interests. |ret||ret||tab|

The owner will get the project he asked for, but there is no assurance that he will get a quality design that meets his needs at the best cost.|ret||ret||tab|

So what can we do to improve on the situation? We can create our own master builder by partnering. That merely involves the creation of a project team at the very inception of the project. The owner selects a construction team consisting of design and construction professionals. Depending upon the size and scope of the project, that could be as simple as an architect and a general contractor. |ret||ret||tab|

On more complex projects it could be a team of professionals including architects, structural engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers, civil engineers, landscape architects, interior designers, food service specialists, general contractor, pre-engineered building system providers (metal building or precast) and others. The construction team also includes the owner. |ret||ret||tab|

This team is the master builder.|ret||ret||tab|

The whole concept here is to get the people who will actually provide the systems involved in the design process early. This is a collaborative effort. By creating a team early, the project benefits from the early input on the construction systems which might be needed for the project from the people who know how to build them and what they cost. |ret||ret||tab|

This provides valuable input to the design team and also ensures that the project is getting the most cost-effective systems in the project. This allows the project cost control to be as good as it can get. The owner can be there asking questions about system performance, appearance and cost. Life-cycle cost analysis can be done with very accurate information, and educated decisions can be made by the owner.|ret||ret||tab|

It doesn't cost any more to partner. In fact, the old axiom "You get only what you pay for" still holds true. The project is going to cost the same, or more, by any other method. By selecting and hiring the construction team on a fee basis, you get the benefit of their advice knowing that their recommendation will not affect their compensation. |ret||ret||tab|

The design can be as good as it can be with good construction and cost control. This also allows for the ability to accelerate the construction process if time is an issue. The owner is well-represented and the project can be a great project. Many large organizations with building programs, like Bass Pro Shops and John Q. Hammons Hotels, have embraced this process with good results. Try it sometime. You might like it.|ret||ret||tab|

|bold_on|(Geoffrey H. Butler, AIA, is president of Butler Rosenbury & Partners Inc.)|ret||ret||tab|

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